Lehigh Valley Classic Women’s Criterium
Ina Yoko Teutenberg dominates the opening event of the Commerce Bank Triple Crown.

Ina-Yoko Teutenberg dominated the first race in the Triple Crown series as team mate Judith Arndt won in the Montreal World Cup. Ina is back to her winning ways of last year when she swept the series. On the way to the win Teutenberg continued attacking her break mates till only Laura Van Gilder of Cheerwine survived to the finish where the High Road rider won the two up sprint by a wide margin.

Victory Ina Yoko Teutenberg
Photo © 2008 Action Images

 Alison Powers of Colavita/Sutter home followed to finish third. Cervelo-Lifeforce rider Sarah Duster was the other rider to make the decisive selection, taking fourth. Colavita’s Tina Pic won the bunch sprint for fifth place.

Laura Van Gilder leads the group up the hill.  Photo © 2008 Action Images

Early race action had a group of seven riders seven off the front early; the group worked well together but couldn't get more than half a minute lead. Teutenberg made a solo bridge with 8 laps to go, and forced the pace decimating the lead group to four riders, and the peloton behind with less than half the pack finishing the race.

The four finalists: Teutenberg, Laura Van Gilder (Cheerwine), Sarah Duester (Cervelo-Lifeforce) and Alison Powers (Colavita). Photo © 2008 Action Images

An attack on the final lap by Laura Van Gilder split the break with only Teutenberg able to match Cheerwine's leader in a duel for the first leg of the Commerce Bank Triple Crown. Photo © 2008 Action Images

High Road Report
 High Road’s Ina-Yoko Teutenberg has won the first round of the Commerce Bank Triple Crown, which took place in Allentown, Pennsylvania today. Teutenberg went against the odds to win the race without the support of a team.

Teutenberg bridges to the break. Photo © 2008 Action Images

“I actually was not expecting to win today,” said a happy Teutenberg after the race. “Quite a few strong teams were on the start line and I was really wishing that I had a teammate with me.”

Last year Teutenberg won all three Triple Crown events including the two criteriums in the lead up to the weekend and the Liberty Classic which takes place on Sunday. However then she had the help of team-mate Kim Anderson. “The rest of the team is in Canada racing the Tour of Montreal,” explained Teutenberg. “They’ll be here on Friday in time for Sunday’s race. That is the race that we are really focussed on.”

Cruel fate strikes as three riders take a tumble. Photo © 2008 Action Images

The short race was aggressive from the gun with Cervelo Lifeforce starting the attacks. Teutenberg found herself in a break with Kristin Armstrong but Cervelo was not happy with the combination and neutralised the advantage. A later break eventuated with riders from all of the major teams leaving Teutenberg back in the bunch. The gap opened to 35 seconds. With 8 laps to go Teutenberg made her move and bridged solo to the break. On reaching the break she rested briefly and started attacking again.

With five laps to go the break was down to four people including Laura Van Gilder (Cheerwine), Sarah Duester (Cervelo-Lifeforce) and Alison Powers (Colavita). On the penultimate lap Van Gilder attacked and Teutenberg bridged, attacking on the short steep climb on the final lap and winning solo with Van Gilder in chase.  “It’s a good start to the week,” said Teutenberg. “I always have fun during this week of racing. I hope I can feel good on Sunday for the Liberty Classic.”

ValueAct Capital Report
Amongst a world-class field, ValueAct Capital Cycling Team once again showed they have the skills and team work to succeed on any terrain. The Lehigh Valley Classic, the first of three races in the prestigious Commerce Bank Triple Crown, drew both top level international racers and the fastest American sprinters to the challenging course. The race featured a 300 meter sprint from the last corner to the finish line, technical corners, a short and steep hill, as well as thousands of spectators.

Marni Hambleton (ValueAct Capital) sprints out of turn one.
Photo © 2008 Action Images

The race was fast from the gun, as World Champions and Olympians sent off attacks. Fresh off the podium at the CSC Invitational, ValueAct Capital's Lara Kroepsch once again had the strong legs to make the break-away, along with 7 other riders including Ina Yoko-Tuetenberg of High Roads, Laura Van Guilder of Cheerwine, and Alison Powers of Colavita/Sutter Home. At top speeds and three laps to go, the four riders escaped the break-away on their own, while the rest were absorbed by the chasing field.

With Kroepsch back in the field, ValueAct Capital still had cards to play in the field sprint. With a fast lead-out from ValueAct Capital's Chrissy Ruiter, Martina Patella came around some of the fastest women in the world to claim 3rd in the field sprint, 7th overall, with Ina Yoko-Tuetenberg taking the win.

"Our results over the last month show that our riders are stepping it up a level," says ValueAct Capital team director Lisa Hunt. "We are relatively new team on the circuit but look at how we have performed over the last two months: GC win at Gila, podiums at Mt. Hood, a podium at CSC Invitational, and now the Triple Crown. These are the toughest races in the country, with top level international fields, and our girls are performing. Our program is developing, our riders are developing, and women's cycling is just getting stronger and stronger."

Podium: Laura Van Gilder, Ina Yoko Teutenberg and Alison Powers.
Photo © 2008 Action Images

Lehigh Valley Classic Women’s Criterium Results
1 601 TEUTENBERG Ina-Yoko Team High Road
2 625 VAN GILDER Laura Cheerwine Cycling 
3 630 POWERS Alison Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooki 
4 616 DUSTER Sarah Cervelo-Lifeforce
5 629 PIC Tina Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooki 
6 621 BENJAMIN Kelly Cheerwine Cycling 
7 673 PATELLA Martina ValueAct Capital Cycling 
8 602 ALLAR Erica Aaron's Professional Women's 
9 622 CHEATLEY Catherine Cheerwine Cycling 
10 652 MCCAUGHEY Laura Juice Plus/NC 

Emily Zell (ValueAct Capital) out of the saddle on the home stretch as the pace intensifies. Photo © 2008 Action Images

11 614 ARMSTRONG Kristin Cervelo-Lifeforce
12 604 LARSON Rebecca Aaron's Professional Women's 
13 678 SANBORN Melissa Vanderkitten Racing 
14 674 RUITER Christina ValueAct Capital Cycling 
15 623 FARINA Robin Cheerwine Cycling Blowing
16 676 HATCH Liz Vanderkitten Racing 
17 615 DOPPMANN Priska Cervelo-Lifeforce
18 650 PRYDE Susy Jazz Apple
19 653 STEELMAN Holli Juice Plus/NC 
20 665 ROORDA Steph Juice Plus+ Cycling Team
21 670 ALLPRESS Sharon ValueAct Capital Cycling 
22 657 VERONNEAU Kate Kutztown Cutters 
23 624 STACY Marple Cheerwine Cycling 
24 671 HAMBLETON Marni ValueAct Capital Cycling 
25 605 POWERS Catherine Aaron's Professional Women's
26 607 WEISLO Laura BMW-Bianchi p/b Hendrick BMW 
27 617 RICKARDS Emma Cervelo-Lifeforce
28 662 CROWELL Jacquelyn Team Kenda Tire 
29 635 FLORE Kate HPC powered by Altarum 
30 684 MACLEAN Jessie Verducci/Breakaway Racing 
31 645 TYE Dale Hub Racing 
32 620 BAMBERGER Sarah Cheerwine Cycling 
33 618 SCHNIDER Pascale Cervelo-Lifeforce

Discuss this race and the sport with other cycling fans from around the world on the Daily Peloton.com Forums and Chat Room.

Sponsor the daily peloton - advertise your product or service to cyclists and cycling fans on www.dailypeloton.com - contact us.